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How to Survive Exam Season

To the students of the world, I’m sorry…. but it’s that time of the year again. At this precise moment in time, I should be writing about the evolution of the French language, but all that comes to mind is that one line from that one Ke$ha song, ‘it’s going down, I’m yelling Timber’.

Unfortunately, I can’t offer you the answers to your exams, but here are some simple tips to stop you from having a complete nervous breakdown:

1) Install a website blocker. Seriously. How many times have you opened up a Word document and thought ‘Oh, I’ll just check Facebook for a minute’. You’re fooling nobody. Stayfocusd is a nifty little Chrome app where you can choose exactly which websites to block and how long for. And the best thing? It’s irreversible! Mwuahahaha. So if you choose to block Tumblr for a whole day, you can’t change your mind two hours later.

2) Give yourself a break. Just because you have a massive workload, doesn’t mean that you should put your life on hold. Maybe getting drunk every night would be a step too far, but you could watch a film, have a bubble bath, catch up to Grey’s Anatomy, or do whatever makes you feel more relaxed.

3) Sleep. Even if you’re jacked up on Red Bull or a million cups of coffee, nothing can replace actual rest. Switch off those electronics, hide those books from plain sight, and just relax. Trust me, you’re not going to accomplish anything if you’ve been staying awake until 7am every night.

4) Eat. Sounds like a no-brainer, but it’s definitely worth mentioning. Make sure that you are eating properly. I don’t mean crisps and chocolates from the library vending machine, either.

5) Perspective. Last, but not least, you are not your grade. Failing is not the end of the world. If the act of writing an essay or sitting an exam is turning your mind into an emotional minefield, talk to someone about it. Even if you think that it’s ‘just stress’. I know it’s easier said than done, but remember that your mental health comes first.